Play & Learn together with your children - 9 ideas to get you started with Flockmen

“What can you do with Flockmen?” - is the question we have been asked a lot since we launched the website. Whilst Flockmen was being exclusive to artisan markets and private nurseries in Latvia, we never encountered such question as people stopped by our stall and started playing. Not long after the word was spread and nurseries, various play centres and even corporate clients started to approach us.

But when we launched our site, people hesitated to get Flockmen. It got us thinking - how do we replicate that online?

There is something very special that you can only experience in the real world - the natural feeling of wood in your hands, the smell and taste of 100% natural linseed oil coating that reminds of crunchy, golden roasted chips (or fries as Americans say)

Whilst we’re still thinking of how to deliver the above, we’ve made our first baby step and collated few things you should try in during your family play times.

In general, we have categorised 4 main areas of examples:

Play

The simplicity of Flockmen leaves your child’s mind free to transform the shapes through their play, as they bring them to life in an endless variety of characters, scenarios and games.

Build

Flockmen is a tactile toy, allowing your child to experience it through touch and movement. Its unique shape makes it easily stackable. Children can develop their fine motor skills by building and creating various kinds of shapes, patterns and construction projects with Flockmen.

Learn

Flockmen can help your child visualise basic math such as sums, subtractions and timetables. Older children can incorporate the pieces into subjects like geometry and physics.

Personalise

Paint, dress, or add stickers to your Flockmen as a cosy afternoon crafting activity with your child, and watch their creativity flow.

1. Customise to Discover

Difficulty: AdvancedRequired: Toddler + ParentSuggested age: 2+

Let your toddler be creative. Set up a safe space for some colour fun. Give him/her some water base paint and a paintbrushes to customise their own Flockmen to their liking. They will enjoy having a colourful, playful set of Flockmen and will discover new ways of playing with it in the process. Being creative with Flockmen will provide your little learner with a chance for imaginative play while establishing a good hand & eye coordination

2. Tic Tac Toe

Difficulty: MediumRequired: Pre-schooler + ParentSuggested age: 4+

This is a fun way to be engaged with your child in a joint parent and child play, as well as encourage them for future independent play; and play with their friends. Collect 6 Flockmen and split them into 2 teams. Let your child decide how you would mark them – you can paint them, draw your initials on them – be creative. Then play! Playing fair is a great life lesson for children. It requires turn taking, listening, cooperation and playing by the rules.

3. Simple Shapes

Difficulty: Easy Required: Toddler Age: 2+

Create a circle with Flockmen with each Flockmen standing side by side. Your toddler will want to destroy your creation first (because it is a lot of fun) and will then replicate your work. Encourage them, guide them and let them do it. It’s ok if the circle isn’t perfect.

4. Bridge

Difficulty: MediumRequired: Pre-schooler Suggested age: 4+

Build a bridge that would go over an object or a toy your child has chosen. You can build a bridge for the train track, that your child may have, or for cars to go over a pretend river. Building along side other toys and incorporating toys you already have in the games with Flockmen, will enrich your child’s playtime experience.

5. Numeracy

When you create shapes or patterns with your child, count the Flockmen in your creation. Your child will enjoy having a good go at it once you have done it with him/her a couple of times. Start with counting from 0-5 (in sets - if there are more than 5 Flockmen in your activity, resume the counting from 0-5 to establish the knowledge) 0-10, if your toddler counts confidently from 0-10, start introducing double digit numbers, but don’t over do it. It is important to get the basics right.

6. Vocabulary

Difficulty: MediumRequired: Toddler Suggested age: 4+

Playtimes are great for building vocabulary with your child. As you build, stack and create with Flockmen use a variety of words, terms and explain them as you play in practice. For example, use prepositions: over, above, before, after, on top, at the bottom etc., show your child how they work in real life as you play.When you build shapes, emphasise the names of the shapes, for example: a triangle, a square, a circle, and an octagon.

7. Turn taking & sharing

Difficulty: EasyRequired: Pre-schooler + ParentSuggested age: 4+

Playing with Flockmen gives a vast amount of opportunities for children to practice turn taking, listening and sharing skills. All of these are important life skills. To take turn and wait for a 2 year old can sometimes prove to be a very difficult task, but practising it will make it worthwhile. Use language that encourages turn taking: it is your go now, it is my turn to put it there, please can you wait. To share is to empathy with others. Cultivating sharing skills will enable your child to become a generous person. Remember, that toddlers have a very strong possession instinct. Their toys are their valued collection, and therefore modelling positive sharing is very important at this age.

8. Trace

Difficulty: EasyRequired: Pre-schooler + ParentSuggested age: 4+

When children have developed a good pencil grip, they can begin using Flockmen as a stencil creating fantastic decorations, ornaments and bunting, By tracing and then cutting out the shapes you can create colourful decorations for a garden party, your child’s bedroom or a birthday party. Use colour card or regular white paper and then decorate it. It will all look great

9. Fancy artwork: Decoupage

Difficulty: AdvancedRequired: Pre-schooler + ParentSuggested age: 4+

Decoupage is a craft that entails pasting paper (or fine cloth) cut outs to an object and then covering them with several coats of PVA glue or other suitable vanish. As a result you get a beautiful appearance of a depth, making the patterns look as though they are painted.This activity may take a bit longer, but will provide fantastic end results.You can use newspapers, patterned tissue paper or other fine fabric material of your choice to decoupage your Flockmen. They will look stunning.

Which Flockmen set should I get?

Children go through several development phases as they grow from being cute toddlers to adventurous explorers, innovative builders and inspiring geniuses.

Flockmen: Explore (Set of 16 pieces)

Perfect for basic games, role play and personalisation. The ideal set for ages from 2-4 years.

Flockmen: Build (Set of 32 pieces)

Perfect for complex construction projects, ideal Montessori material to teach calendar, alphabet, basic counting and much more. The ideal set for children from 4 years of age and onwards.

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